Tooth brush and dentifrice kit



p 1960 D. E. ROBERTS 2,951,489

TOOTH BRUSH AND DENTIFRICEI KIT Filed on. s, 1957 F I G 8 28 INVENTOR DALE E. ROBERTS BYWZQ-M ATTORNEY United States Patent TOOTH BRUSH AND DENTIFRICE KIT Dale E. Roberts, 205 Wakewa, South Bend, Ind.

Filed Oct. 3, 1957, Ser. No. 687,970

4 Claims. (Cl. 132-84) The present invention relates to a toilet article and more particularly to a tooth brush and dentifrice kit.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a completely sealed tooth brush and dentifrice kit from which the brush and dentifrice can be readily removed for use, and which can be easily resealed with the bristles of the brush completely suspended out of contact with any portion of the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a twopiece tooth brush and dentrifice kit, one part forming a brush with a handle and the other part forming the dentrifrice holder with handle.

A further object is to provide a tooth brush and dentifrice holder which is adapted to be carried on the person, either in a coat pocket, purseor hand bag, and which will accommodate either powder, paste or cake type dentrifrices.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tooth brush and dentifrice kit especially adapted to be carried on'the person and used in public lavatories and wash rooms.

Still another abject is to provide a two-piece kit of the aforesaid type which can be conveniently disassembled, used and reassembled While holding both pieces continually in the two hands.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein: g V

Figure l is an oblique view of my assembled tooth brush and dentifrice kit; w Figure 2 is a partial vertical cross sectional view of the tooth brush and dentifrice kit shown in Figure 1, taken in the longitudinal direction;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross sectional view of the assembled kit shown in Figures 1 and 2 taken on line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of my kit from which the tooth brush has been removed;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of my assembled kit in closed position;

Figure 6 is an enlarged end elevational view of my kit;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross sectional view of a portion of the kit, taken on line 77 of Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal cross sectional view of a portion of the kit taken on line 8-8 of Figure 6.

Referring more specifically to the drawings in which one embodiment of my invention is shown, my tooth brush and dentifrice kit consists of a brush 10 and a container portion 12 forming the principal and separable parts of the kit. The brush is an especially made tooth brush having a handle 14 with a relatively broadband gripping portion 18 and a head portion 20 supporting the bristles 22 of the brush. The particular arrangement of the bristles in the brush and the size and shape of the 2,951,489 Patented Sept. 6, 1960 ice bristle portion are not important in the present invention except as they may affect the size and shape of the brush head or the container. The brush would normally be made of plastic and preferably has slightly rounded edges and end portions and the container is preferably made of plastic, but metal can be used.

The container portion is generally rectangular in cross sectional shape and contains a compartment 24 in which the bristles of the brush are suspended and a compartment 26 for the dentifrice 27 in cake or powder form. The two side walls 28 and 30 are joined integrally at their lower edges to bottom 32 and at one end to end panel 34 which is likewise joined integrally with the bottom. The two compartments are separated by a partition 36 joined integrally to the two side walls and the bottom and extending upwardly to the point where it will engage the underside of the tooth brush handle and form an effective seal therewith. If it is desired to form a more positive seal between the upper edge of the partition and the underside of the handle, a strip of resilient sealing material 37 such as rubber or rubber-like material may be mounted on the partition in a longitudinal groove in said upper edge. .The left hand end of the container, as viewed in the drawing, consists of a flap or door 40 pivoted at the bottom on a pin 42 extending through holes in slightly enlarged portions at the lower edge of the door and at the adjacent end of the bottom. Two lugs 44 and 46 are provided along the side edges of the door for seating in recesses 48 and 50 in the adjacent portion of side walls 28 and 30, respectively. When the door is raised and pushed into closed position lugs 44 and '46 snap into the recesses holding the door in closed position, preventing it from being accidentally opened.

The brush is retained in place in the container by a tongue and groove construction consisting of a longitudinal tongue 51 on each side of brush it) and a longitudinal groove 52 in the internal side wall of side walls 28 and 30. The tongues are formed integrally with the brush and interlock with and slide freely in the respective grooves 52. The end of compartment 26 is effectively closed at the right hand end by the end of the brush sliding over the top of a ledge 54 formed along the upper edge of end panel 34. The top of compartment 24 is completely closed by the brush head 20 and the adjacent portion of handle 18 and the top of compartment 26 is completely closed by handle 14 of the brush. After the brush has been slipped into place in the container, door 40 is snapped shut with the inside surface of the door seating against the end of the brush, thereby completely closing compartment 24. i

The dentifrice 27 in compartment 26 is preferably in the form of a relatively soft cake; however, the brush handle is held sufiiciently tightly over the compartment and in contact with ledge 54 and the upper edge of partition 36 that powder can be satisfactorily carried in the compartment.

When the brush is to be used, door 40 is opened by catching the thumb or fingernail in the upper edge 58 of the door and pulling outwardly until lugs 44 and 46 are disengaged from recesses 48 and 50 and the door is moved into the horizontal position shown in Figure 4. The brush is then slipped endwise to the left, as seen in Figures 2, 4 and 5, until tongues 51 are completely free of grooves 52. The bristles can now be rubbed over the upper surface of the dentifrice cake, preferably after they have been moistened, and the brush is ready for use. One of the particular advantages of the invention is that the brush can be held in one hand for brushing the teeth and the container can be held in the other hand for furnishing the dentifrice for the brush. The container is held by gripping the side walls along the part forming compartment 24,

leaving the dentifrice compartment in an easily accessible position for the bristle portion of the brush. This two piece feature in which both; pieces are in use while the teeth are. being brushedds. particularly importantin that thepresentk-itis designed for. use duringtheday. inpuhlie lavatories and wash roomswhereit. would be unsanitary.- to lay; the parts:o. the kitontothelavatory, or. ashelfin; these public-places. Thepresent kit is removed; from, the. pocket or hand bag, disassembled, .thepartssheld in each handwhile in. use,. and. then reassembled. and the kit" returned to the pocketorhandbag.v When thebrushi'ng-operation has beencompleted, the brushiisslippedbaek into, the container with thetonguesSlinterlocking with grooves. 52, and. door. 40. is.snappedeclosed.-.

While the containerv has been. shown inthe drawingas. rectangular. in cross section,. the. lower corners: may, if. desired be rounded. and thesidesand. bottom curved. on their longitudinal. axis,,. to givethecontainer anover all. cylindricalv appearance. The, tongues and. grooves. may.- be interchanged ie. the tongue. may be placed on the. internalsurface of the,side.walls and;the groovesprovided in the sides ofthe brushr. Various other changes and modifications may bemadewithout. departing from the. scopeof thepresent invention.

I claim:.

1. A two-piece tooth. brush. and. dentifrice. kit, com.- prising sidewalls. and a bottom.forming an elongatedcontainer withvan open top apanelclosing one end and. having. a horizontallledge thereonspaced. downwardly. from the top, a door at-th'e. other endl pivoted. at. the bottom, slots. in. the side. walls. adjacent. said door, lugs. on said door adjacent. said. slots. andadapted to seat therein to hold said door in closed! position,. a longitudinal. groove in. the internalsurface of each side, wallnear the upper edge thereof,. averticalfpartition. in saidcontainer joined integrally to saidfsidewall's, and saidbottom and. spaced from saidgrooves forming two compartments. in,said.container,. a resilient sealingmeans alongthe. upper. edgeof said partitiom. a cake. of. dentifrice in the. compartment adjacent said end paneha tooth brush having abroad handle engagingsaidsealingmeansand said. ledge, andYa longitudinal tongne on each side ofsaid'handle for. interlocking with the respective groove.

2.. Attwo=piece tooth brush and dentifrice kit, com: prising side. walls and av Bottom forming an elongated container with an open. top, a panelclosing one. end' and having a horizontal" ledge. thereon. spaced: downwardly. from thet'op, a door. at theother. end'pivotedf at.the. bot; tom, slots in the side walls adjacent said" door, 1i1g s on said door adjacent said slots and adapted to seat therein to hold said door in closed position, a" longitudinal and continuous internal groove inthe internal surface of each side Wall near the upper edge thereof, a vertical partition in said container joined integrally to said side walls and said bottom and spaced from said grooves forming two compartments in said container, a cake of dentifrice in the compartment adjacenvsaid end panel a tooth brush having a: broad: handle and. engaging. said@ partition and said ledge, and a longitudinaltongue on each side of said handle for: interlockingwith the respective. groove;

3'. A tooth.-- brushand. dentifrice kit,, comprising side walls and a bottom formingan elongated container with an open top, a panelelosingroneeendi-ra door at the other end pivoted at the bottom, slots in the side walls adjacent said door, lugs on said door adjacent said slots and adapted to seat therein to hold said door in closed position, a longitudinal andcontinuous groove .in theinternal surface of each side. wal1, a verticalpartition' in saidi container secured. to. said'wall's andliottom formiirg 'twocomparrb ments in said container,, dentifrice in the compartment adjacent said end panel,,a' toothtbruslt' having a handle engagingsaid partition .andsaidledge and having bristles disposed in. the compartment. nearest said door, and a longitudinal tongue on, each side of 'saidfhandle foriinter 'lockin g with the respective groove;

. containing Saiddentifriceand having bristles di'sposedin the compartment nearest said door, and a longitudinal tongue on each. side for interloclhng' with the respective groove.

References .Cited in! the file of. this. patent UNITED? STAIEES: PA'ITIENTS 

